DAY 84 – DAY TWO OF TREK. TREKKING ACROSS THE VALLEY TO TOLKA!

When we awoke the rain and thunder had thankfully disappeared and the skies were clearing, such an amazing feeling to wake surrounded by a panorama of mountains that we had only seen a few of the night before, it was just magical! We walked round the little village looking up the valley at the staggering mountains on our left, then visited the local museum they had made demonstrating the farming methods used of past and current and life in the Himalayas. Mum and Ian had a go with the head basket which didn't look the most comfortable, how do they carry so much on their backs without breaking their necks I do not know!

Then it was the start of trek day 2, today we were going right across the valley to the other side to a place called Tolka which was approximately eye level with where we were now except we were on the wrong side! Blimey, how quick would that be if someone had a hang glider??!!!! We wish! Going through the stone arch to symbol the that start, we were on our way, the first part not being bad at all as it was all DOWN!! Yippee although mine and Ads knees hurt more going down and with every step you felt the soreness of yesterdays hiking so perhaps up would be better…uuuum! On hiking down we passed locals whom looked like walking trees at one point coming towards us! They carry so much wood and foliage on their backs it was hard to tell there was anyone underneath it all which was quite bizarre. They seem to walk up with such strength which makes us look even more unfit than we already are!

The view was just stunning as we passed more terraced farming fields and made our way down to the river at the bottom of the valley below… At one rest break a local guy who had the world and not his dog but an elephant I’d say on his back allowed Adam to try the weight of his pack. He looked like he was carrying a microwave or mini oven on his back and after telling us it was over 40kg’s we could see why, Ads couldn’t even pick it up!! The guy was about 70 too, unbelievable and everyday he does this in his sandals or bare feet, just incredible people. As he started off his huge bulging varicose veins could be seen in the back of his legs from the strain….

Finally after a few rest stops we reached the bottom, and on crossing the rather dodgy wood swinging bridge at the bottom, we then looked up at our final stage which went up and up and up and up!! Happily at the back still, I took my time up with mum and Emma. I was doing ok but struggling still from hospital so snail pace was the only pace for me! This up was shorter but steeper than the day before and it was tough going. At one point Ian said that they was absolutely no way he would be able to hike Machu Pichu much to mums horror but I think this trek probably showed us all how much we needed to do before Peru!

We stopped for a lunch break and it was cool to look back and see how far we had come already but we were still no way near in line with Ghandruk….boo! Bevan and the Hong Kong ladies had an amazing brunch type potato thing which Ads and I looked on with envy again… Grace and Luna are amazing, they are both mega slim except they eat continually and lots of chocolate too but don’t put an ounce on. We could learn so much from Hong Kong about diet! It was great getting to know the group more, everyone was brilliant and we were really lucky to be travelling with them all, it was such fun! Helen and Lucas from Oz had literally travelled everywhere in the world so it was fab to talk to them about the places we were going, although after learning of Lucas’s experience in South America from being mugged then shot in the leg, we were not sure whether we wanted to still go there and that was in a nice part of the city!!

Carrying on up the valley face we passed smaller villages of just a few tin shacks and I would say the poverty this side was even harsher. We passed a grandmother with her grand daughter who stopped for us to take a photo for money of course and she had the most evil and harshest of looks that bore right through you, we were quite scared of her! Again just a face of a harsh existence in the mountains..

Later that afternoon we made it, not in the dark this time! Another cool tea house greeted us painted in bright flowers which were cool. Ads and I were in the corner room which was tiny but had the most wicked of old stable like doors into it. The only b***** was that our shutters looked over the back garden area where the locals have their fire for their kitchen so our lungs were full of charcoal for most of the night as the smoke came in through the shutters, think these guys need a visit from Everest for some good ole double glazing ha ha! Just any type of window would be good for them, it was pretty cold and we slept in everything we had from woolly hats to fleeces. Think some thermals might be on order for when we make New Zealand!! How they survive up here in the winter I do not know, with many many hand-weaved blankets I expect and a lot of huddled open fires…

We wandered up to see the local school of Tolka along with a few chickens on route and the after a game of cards over looking the valley and a freezing cold pipe in the wall shower, had another great tea then watched as the sun went down and the moon silhouetted the mountains. Without doubt we will come back to Nepal again and again and again….Night!